Shoemaking last



Sept. 10, 1935. c. A. MEssMER SHOEMAKING LAST Filed Jan. 20, 1955 Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES SHOEMAKING LAST Charles A. Messmer, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to St. Louis Cutting Die Company, Inc., St. Louis,

Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 20, 1933, Serial No. 652,603

7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the manufacture of shoes and particularly to a shoe making last having means manipulable to slightly stretch the shoe vamp so as to cause the same to stand erect.

In the manufacture of shoes and particularly pumps, it is well known that difiioulty is often experienced in overcoming the tendency for the vamp, particularly around the throat portion, to

and thereby render the shoe unsightly. To a great extent this tendency of the vamp to sag and render the shoe unsightly may be obviated by slightly stretching the vamp in a direction longitudinally of the opening after the manufacture of the shoe is substantially complete and the same has been allowed to season. Under most circumstances it is desirable to so set up the vamp before the shoe is completely dried since by permittng the upper material to completely season in this stretched or distorted position wherein the mate-rial stands more nearly vertical would otherwise be the case, it is apparent that a stiffness is imparted to the vamp which tends to hold the same erect so as to render the shoe sfghtly and draw the sides of opening inwardly so that the shoe will hug the foot more closely on the sides. Similarly when the shoe is stretched longitudinally of the opening the usual tendency for the vamp to bite into the foot at the instep and back is reduced.

The object of this present invention generally stated is to provide a shoe making last with a device operable to expand or set up the material so as to cause the same to stand erect.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shoe making last with a device for setting up the vamp of a shoe in position thereon and so arra- -ged that the usual manufacturing operations can be carried out with the last without interference.

A more specific object of this invention is t provide a shoe making last with a device for setting up the vamp of a shoe in position thereon which device is operable to set up the shoe while the shoe is in position thereon.

Other objects will become apparent when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a. view in side elevation of a shoe makinglast provided with an expanding device in accordance with the present invention and showing a lasted shoe in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view in side elevation showing the expanding device and the manipulable parts thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2, and showing the expanding device in end elevation.

In accordance with the present invention generally stated a suitable expanding device may be movably mounted in the region of the cone of the last and be provided with suitable means for the in order to slightly stretch the vamp longitudinally of the opening so as to set the same up and cause the vamp of the completed shoe to stand at a more erect position. The surface of the expanding device employed in the present invention under normal conditions would form a part of the lasting surface of the shoe making last and accordingly the exposed 10 surface of the expanding device must be formed of a contour such that when in normal position the lines of the last in the region of the cone will not be interrupted by the presence of the expanding device. In other words when the parts are in normal position for the usual shoe making operations the contour of the surface of the expanding device and the surface of the cone of the last are preferably as nearly continuous as possible. Suitable operating means may also be prod vided in order to effect an elevation of the surface of the expansion device above its normal position and thereby to slightly stretch the vamp of a shoe in position on the last so as to cause the same to stand erect.

The expanding device of the present invention is, however, not limited to use at the cone of a last but may be applied at any zone where it is desired to stretch the upper of the shoe.

Referring now to the drawing for an illustrative embodiment of the present invention the usual shoe making last I is hingedly constructed as shown in Figure 1, and comprises generally a forepart 2 and a heel part 8 which. are connected together by awell known hinged contruction at 4. As is well known when the last I is in normal shoe making position, as shown, there exists a recess 5 between the forepart Z and the heel part 3. A similar recess is also present in lasts which are not of the hinged construction. The sloping portion of the last immediately forward of the recess 5 is characterized as the cone and designated 6. Mounted upon the last I is a shoe I of the pump type provided with a sole 8 and an upper 9 having; an opening ii! through which the foot is to be inserted. The forward terminus of the opening If! is characterized as a throat line of the opening H. Suitably mounted in the region of the cone 6 of the last I is an expanding device l2, the surface contour of which conforms as nearly as possible to the lines of the cone 6 of the last I. The position of the parts in normal relation is shown in full lines in Figure 1 from which it is apparent that the surface of member 52 is substantially continuous with the surface of the cone 6 of the last. A last constructed in accordance with the present invention may, therefore, be used in all the conventional shoe making operations since the contour of the outer surface of the movable member I2 is such as will not interfere with or distort a shoe from the normal lasted condition, except as will be hereinafter described.

The member I2 may be movably mounted in the last in any suitable manner which will permit the surface thereof to be elevated slightly above or beyond the surface of the cone 6. Inthe embodiment illustrated in the drawing a recess I3 having a well I 4 is cut into the cone of the last. A suitably mounted device asfor instance a plate I5 having a hinge lug I6 may then be secured in the bottom of recess I3 as by means of screw H. A pin I8 may be provided for hingedly connecting member 52 to hinge lug I6.

Operating in well l4 may be a cam I9 mounted upon a shaft 20 extending through hole 2| in the cone of the last and terminating in a coupling part 22 exposed adjacent recess 5. As is clearly shown in Figure 3 the cam I9 is mounted eccentrically relative to shaft 20 and is disposed to engage the bottom surface of the expanding device or member I2 at 23. A suitable tool 24 arranged to couple with coupling part 22 so as to manipulate the latter may be provided.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that when the shaft 28 is manipulated as by turning tool 24, the cam I9 will be moved between the positions illustrated in full lines and broken lines in Figure 3. When the cam I9 occupies the broken line position shown in Figure 3, it is apparent that the expanding device I2 is in its normal position, shown in full lines in Figure 1, and there forms a part of the surface of the last. After the manufacturing operations are substantially complete, however, and it is desired to slightly stretch the upper in a direction longitudinally of the opening I0, the cam I9 may be manipulated to bring the same into full line position as illustrated in Figure 3. Upon movement of the cam to the full line position illustrated in Figure 3, it is apparent that the expanding device I2 moves to the position shown in Figure 2 (dotted line position shown in Figure 1) carrying with it the throat portion at II of the shoe and slightly elongating the opening. It will be understood that the expanding device I2 is preferably so positioned that the upper terminus thereof will be above the throat line of the shoe to be operated upon.

With the parts in position just referred to seasoning' or drying may be completed and the cam it then returned to its dotted line position to permit the expanding device I2 to occupy its normal position where the surface thereof is in continuity with the surface of the cone 6. The shoe may then be delasted and it will be found that the vamp particularly in the region of the throat line I I stands erect with stiffness sufficient to prevent the same from sagging and becoming unsightly.

It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific details of construction hereinbefore described. The manipulable operating mechanism for elevating the expanding device I2 is, as shown in the accompanying drawing, purely illustrative and arbitrary. It is to be understood that various types of mechanism may be readily adapted for use in this connection. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing the arrangement is such that when the member I2 is elevated the operating parts are in such position that pressure upon the expanding device I2 is not effective to restore the parts to their normal position. This is a convenient arrangement, although it will be understood that the same results may be accomplished with other and different types of mechanism. It is apparent, therefore, that many modifications of the device hereinbefore described will occur to those skilled in the art without depart- 5 ing from the spirit of this invention. It is to be distinctly understood, therefore, that such modifications and the use of such individual features and subcombinations of features as do not depart from the spirit of this invention, although not specifically described herein, are contemplated by and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. The combination with a shoe making last of an expansion device movably mounted in a recess in the forepart of the last and having a surface normally disposed in continuity with the contour of the cone, said recess being adjacent the throat line area and having the cone of the last continuing above and below the same.

2. The combination with a shoe making last of an expansion device movably mounted in a recess in the forepart of the last and having a surface normally disposed in continuity with the contour of the cone, said recess being adjacent the throat line area and having the cone of the last continuing above and below the same, and means for moving said device for elevating the surface thereof above the contour of the cone. 30

3. The combination with a shoe making last of an expansion device movably mounted in a recess in the forepart of the last and having a surface normally disposed in continuity with the contour of the cone, and disposed to be elevated above the contour of the cone, said recess being adjacent the throat line area and having the cone of the last continuing above and below the same.

4. The combination with a shoe making last of an expansion device movably mounted in a recess in the forepart of the last and having a surface normally disposed in continuity with the contour of the cone and disposed to be elevated above the contour of the cone, said recess being adjacent the throat line area and having the cone of the last continuing above and below the same, and means for elevating said device.

5. The combination with a shoe making last of an expansion device movably mounted in the forepart and having a surface normally disposed in continuity with the contour of the cone, and disposed to be elevated above the contour of the cone, and means for elevating said device having a coupling part exposed for manipulation when a shoe is in position on the last but not projecting substantially beyond the surface of the last.

6. The combination with a shoe making last of an expansion device movably mounted in a recess in the forepart of the last and having a surface normally disposed in continuity with the contour of the cone at the sides thereof and disposed to be elevated above the contour of the cone, and manipulable means for elevating said device disposed entirely within the surface of the last.

7. The combination with a shoe making last of an expansion device movably mounted in the forepart and having a surface normally disposed in continuity with the contour of the cone and disposed to be elevated above the contour of the cone, and manipulable means for elevating said device having a coupling part extending axially through the cone of the last and exposed for engagement in the recess thereat.

CHARLES A. MESSMER. 

